LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Sovereignty gave trainer Bill Mott a second Kentucky Derby victory. This time there was no doubt about it and no asterisk.
The 3-year-old colt outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Derby in the slop on Saturday, snapping an 0 for 13 skid by owner Godolphin.
Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified during a 22-minute delay.
It took a few minutes for Saturday's results to be made official while the stewards sorted out a photo for second and reviewed a traffic-choked start.
Mott knew all the while who earned the garland of red roses.
“This one got there the right way,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “I mean, he’s done well, he’s a great horse, he comes from a great organization and I can’t say enough about the horse and the organization that started him out and made this happen.”
Godolphin is the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court — a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify — won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.
“I've had quite a long relationship with the Godolphin team and the man behind the Godolphin operation, Sheikh Mohammed,” Mott said. “I'm just honored.”
Sovereignty, also bred by the sheikh, splashed through 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds. He's the record 20th horse with a name starting with “S” to win. The victory was worth $3.1 million from the $5 million purse.
“It's great,” Mott said. “I think it will take a little while to sink in.”
Journalism didn't have the cleanest of trips in the 19-horse field, but rallied to stay in the fight. He found trouble early before jockey Umberto Rispoli swung him outside to get him in the clear. They made a move at the leaders with Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado right behind them.
“He was saying to me, ‘Listen, I’m ready,’ so from there I started picking up,” Alvarado said.
The two colts hooked up for a sixteenth of a mile for a thrilling battle against the backdrop of 147,406 roaring and rain-soaked fans before Sovereignty surged ahead inside the eighth pole and drew clear.
“I saw the blue silks (of Godolphin) coming at us and I knew that was the one we were going to have to be concerned about,” said Michael McCarthy, Journalism's trainer. “The winner ran a better race.”
Alvarado won his first Derby in six tries. He and Sovereignty were reunited after Alvarado had missed the colt's last start in the Florida Derby because he was injured.
“It's more than a dream come true,” the 38-year-old Venezuelan said. “I thought I had a great chance. I was confident the whole week.”
Fast-closing Baeza — who got into the race on Thursday after another horse was scratched — was a neck back in third. Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.
Citizen Bull, the lone entry for six-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, set the pace. Baffert was back on the first Saturday in May having serving a three-year suspension by Churchill Downs after his Medina Spirit crossed the finish line first in 2021 and failed a postrace drug test.
D. Wayne Lukas, the 89-year-old four-time Derby winner, saw his colt American Promise finish right behind Baffert in 15th.
Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.
Burnham Square was sixth, followed by Sandman, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold, Tiztastic, Coal Battle, Neoequos, Publisher, Citizen Bull, American Promise, Render Judgment, Flying Mohawk and Admire Daytona.
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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
Beth Harris, The Associated Press
